Home Inspections

Are home inspections necessary? You bet, even on new construction homes. You never know what problems lurk in a home even one that appears to outwardly look really good.

Having a good home inspection will give you a true understanding of the soundness of the home you have selected and confidence in purchasing it.

Typically, you have about 10 days after contract to complete any home inspection you desire.

What kind of inspections should I get?

That depends upon what kind of property you are buying. Don’t worry, we will make recommendations. At minimum you need a comprehensive general inspection: a basic inspection which covers electrical, mechanical, A/C, plumbing, roof, home structure, and all appliances.

Should this inspection reveal some questionable issue, then we can add on an expert to do an in-depth review. For example, if the roof is at its life expectancy, you may want a roofer to give you an estimate for replacement. If the property needs to be re-plumbed, or has some settlement issues you may wish to do further investigating.

What other inspections do you recommend?

A WDO report which checks for termites, powder post beetles, and any wood destroying organism, like rotten wood. Florida’s humidity makes a WDO report a must on a resale home, but may not be necessary on new construction.

If the property is on septic instead of city sewer, then a septic system evaluation is in order.

A luxury property may have many AC units, elevators, and sophisticated security gadgets that will need specialists in each field.

Buying Vacant Land?

Aside from a survey, you may want to do soil testing, or topography which will show wetlands, major trees, and indigenous vegetation. If buying on waterfront you may also want to check the normal high water mark.

What about Radon Gas and Mold inspections?

Radon Gas is so rare in Florida (because there are no basements) that almost no one tests for it, although you certainly can. Mold on the other hand is naturally occurring and common to find, typically it is visible. Serious mold is something that I think the buyer should stay away from. Remediation is not always successful but there is always another property to buy.

How do I choose an inspector?

There are many inspectors to choose from, but only a few are top notch. We like to use seasoned professionals who adhere to a higher standard of inspecting. Just ask us. We don’t recommend anyone that takes shortcuts.

What is the cost of Home Inspections?

A basic home inspection will range from $400-600 for an average size home. For large estate homes, inspections may run up to $1000 or more depending upon the various items to be checked. What you decide to inspect is always your choice.

What happens if we are not happy with the home inspections?

We always make sure that the contract you sign is subject to your approval of home inspections.So if inspections are not satisfactory, here are your choices:

Withdraw from the contract, get your escrow money refunded and we will help you find another house.

Renegotiate the contract.
Yes, you can renegotiate the contract even if you signed an as is contract. That only means that the seller does not want to repair anything, but does not mean that they won’t or will not give you a price reduction.

Our office only works for the home buyer,not the seller, so we are always willing to try to negotiate a concession for you on more serious inspection issues. Every re-sale home has some deficiencies so the minor problems are typically accepted by the home buyer.

If you are uncomfortable with the results of the home inspection and no longer wish to continue the contract no problem. It is your money and your decision. No pressure from us.